A generic rubber tire roller is known, for example, from EP 0 864 964 A2. Rubber tire rollers are ground compaction machines equipped with wheels, usually rubber wheels, with which they drive over a ground to be compacted. To this end, generic rubber tire rollers comprise a machine frame with an operating platform and front and rear undercarriages supporting the machine frame, the undercarriages respectively comprising at least one wheel. The indications “front” and “rear” relate here to the forward direction of the rubber tire roller, the rubber tire roller normally being driven over the ground alternately forward and backward during operation. The elastic properties of the wheels give rise to an advantageous rolling or kneading effect, by means of which a particular homogenous compaction of the ground surface and an advantageous closing of the pores on the ground surface can be attained. Generic rubber tire rollers are used both in earthworks and asphalt construction and are used for compacting a supporting layer of a road. The compaction effect of a rubber tire roller occurs primarily as a result of its own weight and is influenced by the same. In order to attain a wheel load required for a desired compaction performance, the rubber tire rollers need to have a high machine weight. The machine weight of the rubber tire rollers can consequently frequently be increased by attaching additional weights on the machine frame. At the same time, the machine should be configured to be as compact as possible, which has led to the machine frame of generic rubber tire rollers typically being comparatively massive or bulky.
During ground compaction, it is advantageous for the driver of the rubber tire roller to be able to observe the outer wheel edges as well as the tread of the wheels. The wheel edges are important in order to maneuver the rubber tire roller along a desired path as precisely as possible, while observing the wheel tread permits an early recognition of whether ground material is adhering to the tires, which could undesirably lead to an uneven ground surface. It is known in the prior art to equip the rubber tire rollers with mirrors and/or cameras, by means of which these areas of the wheel can be observed. Said visual supports, however, get dirty comparatively quickly, while the driver of the rubber tire roller recognizes considerably fewer details regarding the position of the wheel edges or material sticking to the wheel treads when images are conveyed by way of cameras and mirrors as is the case when the relevant areas can be viewed directly. It is also known in the prior art to use viewing tunnels through which the driver of the rubber tire roller may have a direct view of the wheels or their wheel treads. Said tunnels extend exclusively inside the machine and are, with the exception of two openings, one in the direction of the operating platform and one in the direction of the wheels, closed to the outer environment. This solution has the disadvantage that forming tunnels inside the machine frame is relatively complex, requires a lot of construction space and moreover only permits a very limited view of the wheel edges or tread of the wheels for the driver. In addition, said tunnels have to be partially illuminated in order to allow the driver to view the wheels at all.
Against this background, it is the object of the present invention to improve the viewing conditions on existing rubber tire rollers. In particular, it is the object of the present invention to allow the driver to view the relevant areas such as the wheel edges and tread of the outer wheels directly from the operating platform. The improved visibility conditions should also not result in a more complex structure of the machine, should not excessively reduce the construction space available within the machine frame and, as far as possible, should not require further components such as, e.g., lighting equipment.